Filter Port Seal

ABSTRACT

A filter assembly includes a drain port comprising a top portion and at least one surface modification along the top portion. The drain port defines an aperture therein and is alignable with an outlet port. The outlet port includes a seal member that is attachable to an end portion of the outlet port. A portion of the aperture of the drain port is sealable to the seal member when the drain port and the outlet port are aligned such that the at least one surface modification of the drain port does not abut the seal member of the outlet port, thereby creating a sealed connection between the drain port and the outlet port.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/212,065, filed Aug. 31, 2015 and the contentsof which are incorporated herein by reference in the entirety.

FIELD

The present application relates generally to surface modifications foruse with filter assemblies.

BACKGROUND

A drain port of a filter housing of a filter assembly may be configuredto attach to an outlet port with a radial o-ring seal member of a filterelement to allow a fluid to drain from the filter element.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments provide for a filter assembly that includes a drainport comprising a top portion and at least one surface modificationalong the top portion. The drain port defines an aperture therein and isalignable with an outlet port. The outlet port includes a seal memberthat is attachable to an end portion of the outlet port. A portion ofthe aperture of the drain port is sealable to the seal member of theoutlet port when the drain port and the outlet port are aligned suchthat the at least one surface modification of the drain port does notabut the seal member of the outlet port, thereby creating a sealedconnection between the drain port and the outlet port.

Another embodiment provides for a filter assembly that includes a firstport and a second port. The first port includes a top portion and atleast one surface modification along the top portion. The first portdefines an aperture therein. The second port includes a seal member andan end portion. The seal member is attachable to an end portion of thesecond port. The first port and the second port are alignable with eachother. A portion of the aperture of the first port is sealable to theseal member of the second port when the first port and the second portare aligned such that the at least one surface modification of the firstport does not abut the seal member of the second port, thereby creatinga sealed connection between the first port and the second port.

Yet another embodiment provides for a filter assembly that includes ahousing and a filter element. The housing includes a drain port thatincludes a top portion and at least one surface modification along thetop portion. The drain port defines an aperture therein. The filterelement is positionable within the housing and includes a filter mediaand an outlet port. The outlet port includes a seal member and an endportion. The seal member is attachable to the end portion of the outletport. The drain port and the outlet port are alignable with each other.A portion of the aperture of the drain port is sealable to the sealmember of the outlet port when the drain port and the outlet port arealigned such that the at least one surface modification of the drainport does not abut the seal member of the outlet port, thereby creatinga sealed connection between the drain port and the outlet port.

These and other features (including, but not limited to, retainingfeatures and/or viewing features), together with the organization andmanner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout theseveral drawings described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a filter assembly in a closedposition according to one embodiment.

FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the filter assembly of FIG. 1A inan open position.

FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2A

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a filter assembly witha drain port according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a drain port according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a drain port according to anotherembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a drain port according to yet anotherembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a drain port according to still anotherembodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a drain port according to yet anotherembodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a filter assembly according toanother embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a filter assembly according to yetanother embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a filter assembly according tostill another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the figures generally, various embodiments disclosed hereinrelate to a drain port with at least one surface modification to preventunauthorized outlet ports (e.g., of unauthorized filters) from sealingto the drain port.

The Filter Assembly

FIGS. 1A-2B show a filter assembly 20 according to one embodiment. Thefilter assembly 20 includes a housing 60 and a filter element 70. Aportion of a filter assembly 20 according to another embodiment is shownin FIG. 3. The filter assembly 20 may be used for various types of fluidfiltration (e.g., fuel or oil filtration).

The housing 60 is configured to contain, surround or house the filterelement 70 and includes an upper housing portion 62 and a lower housingportion 64 that are attachable to each other in order to secure thefilter element 70 within the housing 60. The housing 60 further includesa drain port 160 with at least one surface modification 170 (as shown,for example, in FIGS. 4-10 and as described further herein).

The filter element 70 is positionable and securable within the housing60 and is configured to filter a fluid. Accordingly, the filter element70 includes a filter media 76 for filtration. The filter element 70 mayfurther include a top endplate 72 and a bottom endplate 74 positioned oneither end of the filter media 76 for support and structure. The filterelement 70 also includes an outlet port, as described further herein.The outlet port may be either an authorized outlet port 30 (as shown inFIG. 3) or an unauthorized outlet port 130 (as shown in FIG. 1A-2B). Asused herein, the term “unauthorized” refers to an outlet port 30 (and/orcorresponding filter element 70), which is not authorized for operationwithin the housing 60. The authorized outlet port 30 includes a sealmember, such as an o-ring seal member 82, that is attachable orconnectable to an end portion of the outlet port 30. The o-ring sealmember 82 may sealingly attach the drain port 160 of the housing 60 andthe end portion of the authorized outlet port 30 of the filter element70 together and may create a sealed connection.

In order to assemble the filter assembly 20, the filter element 70 ispositioned within one of the upper housing portion 62 and the lowerhousing portion 64 in an open position 22 (as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B). Inthe open position 22, the upper housing portion 62 and the lower housingportion 64 are not completely attached to each other such that theunauthorized outlet port 130 (or the authorized outlet port 30) is notyet engaged with the drain port 160.

The upper housing portion 62 and the lower housing portion 64 may thenbe attached to each other (through, for example, a threaded connection).As the upper housing portion 62 and the lower housing portion 64 areattached to each other, the filter element 70 is moved further into thehousing 60, engaging the unauthorized outlet port 130 (or the authorizedoutlet port 30) with the drain port 160 in the closed position 24 (asshown in FIGS. 1A-1B and 3). If the filter element 70 includes anauthorized outlet port 30 (as shown in FIG. 3), a sealed connection iscreated between the drain port 160 and the outlet port 30 (as describedfurther herein). If the filter element 70 includes an unauthorizedoutlet port 130 (as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B), a sealed connection is notcreated between the drain port 160 and the unauthorized outlet port 130due to the surface modifications 170 on the drain port 160 (as describedfurther herein).

The Drain Port

The first port or drain port 160 of the housing 60 provides an area withan aperture 169 that the fluid to be drained can flow through. Forexample, the drain port 160 may be used to drain fluid from within thefilter assembly 20. The aperture 169 may extend through the drain port160. Accordingly, the drain port 160 further provides an exit or outletout of the filter assembly 20 and may lead to, for example, a reservoiror container. The drain port 160 may further be configured to align withand connect or seal with a second port or outlet port 30. Although theoutlet port 30 is shown as an outlet and the drain port 160 is shown asa drain, it is understood that the outlet port 30 may instead be aninlet port and the drain port 160 may instead be an inlet.

As shown in FIG. 3, the o-ring seal member 82 of the outlet port 30 mayseal to the inside or inner surface 168 that is defined by the aperture169 of the drain port 160 to create the sealed connection 50 between thedrain port 160 and the outlet port 30. Accordingly, when the drain port160 and the outlet port 30 are sealingly connected, one of the drainport 160 and the outlet port 30 may extend into the other of the drainport 160 and the outlet port 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet port 30extends within the aperture 169 of the drain port 160 to allow theo-ring seal member 82 of the outlet port 30 to seal with the innersurface 168 of the aperture 169 of the drain port 160.

The drain port 160 may include a sealing area, lip, face, or top portion162. The top portion 162 of the drain port 160 refers to the end of thedrain port 160 and includes the endmost surface of the drain port 160.The drain port 160 may incorporate one or more different surfacemodifications 170 along the top portion 162 of the drain port 160.According to one embodiment, the surface modifications 170 may be usedto prevent or inhibit certain types of unauthorized outlet ports 130 offilter assemblies, such as those of particular unauthorized filterassemblies that may be introduced as an after-market product, fromsecurely or effectively sealing to the drain port 160. The unauthorizedoutlet ports 130 do not seal to the portion of the drain port 160 thatdoes not have the surface modifications 170. For example, theunauthorized outlet ports 130 do not seal to the inner surface 168 ofthe aperture 169 of the drain port 160 and do not have the o-ring sealmember 82. Instead, the unauthorized outlet port 130 may have a faceseal member 40 (as described further herein).

The surface modifications 170 may prevent unauthorized outlet ports 130that do not include an o-ring seal member 82 (and instead includecertain types of seal members, such as a face seal member 40 (asdescribed further herein)) from securely or effectively sealing to thetop portion 162 of the drain port 160. More specifically, the surfacemodifications 170 may create gaps between the top portion 162 of thedrain port 160 and the face seal member 40 of the unauthorized outletport 130. Accordingly, the surface modifications 170 may provide astandardized control to only prevent certain unauthorized outlet ports130 from sealing with the drain port 160 and allow certain outlet ports30 to seal with the drain port 160. Conversely, since the surfacemodifications 170 are only along the top portion 162 of the drain port160, the drain port 160 may still sealingly connect with an outlet port30 that includes an o-ring seal member 82 since the o-ring seal member82 is configured to connect to the inner surface 168 of the aperture169, rather than the top portion 162 of the drain port 160 where thesurface modification 170 are. The surface modifications 170 may include,but are not limited to, notches 172, ribs, grooves, cuts, recessedareas, extensions, projections, protrusions 174, zig-zags, a wavypattern, textures, and/or surface roughness 176.

Although it is understood that any combination of the surfacemodifications 170 may be used along the top portion 162 of the drainport 160, FIGS. 4-8 depict different configurations of the surfacemodifications 170 on the top portion 162. As shown in FIG. 4, the topportion 162 may include two notches 172 on either side of the topportion 162. As shown in FIG. 5, the top portion 162 may include twoprotrusions 174 on either side of the top portion 162. As shown in FIG.6, the top portion 162 may include four protrusions 174 spaced along thecircumference of the top portion 162 and four notches 172 in betweeneach of the protrusions 174 along the top portion 162. As shown in FIG.7, the top portion 162 may include a protrusion 174 that extends alongapproximately half of the circumference of the top portion 162 (e.g., ahalf-lip protrusion) and a notch 172 that extends along the remainder ofthe circumference of the top portion 162. As shown in FIG. 8, the topportion 162 may include surface texture or roughness 176 along theentire circumference (or a portion of the circumference) of the topportion 162. Accordingly, the various surface modifications 170 orcombinations of surface modifications 170 may automatically prevent anunauthorized outlet port 130 that does not include the o-ring sealmember 82 (and instead includes, for example, a face seal member 40)from securely and sealingly connecting to the top portion 162 of thedrain port 160, thereby preventing a secure or effective sealedconnection 50 therebetween.

The Outlet Port

The authorized outlet port 30 provides an area with an aperture 39 thatfluid can flow through in order to drain from a filter assembly 20 (suchas, for example, from the filter media 76 of the filter element 70).According to one embodiment, the outlet port 30 may allow fluid out ofthe filter element 30, into the drain port 160, and out of the housing60. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the outlet port 30 is configured toalign with the drain port 160 and create a seal with an area of thedrain port 160 that does not include surface modifications 170, such asthe inner surface 168 of the aperture 169 of the drain port 160.According to one embodiment, the outlet port 30 includes the o-ring sealmember 82 to create a sealed connection 50 between the outlet port 30and the drain port 160 (as described further herein). According to oneembodiment, when the outlet port 30 and the drain port 160 are sealedtogether, the outlet port 30 may allow the fluid to flow from a portionof the filter assembly 20 through the outlet port 30 and into the drainport 160 (e.g., self-service draining) without any leakage. According toanother embodiment, one of the drain port 160 and the outlet port 30 maybe a plug and accordingly may plug the other of the drain port 160 andthe outlet port 30 and prevent fluid flow through either one of theoutlet port 30 and the drain port 160 and also prevent any fluid fromleaking.

The outlet port 30 may optionally be a part of or integral with one ofthe top endplate 74 or the bottom endplate 74 of the filter element 70or may be separately attached to a portion of the filter element 70,such as the filter media 76.

The outlet port 30 may include an end portion 31 that extends from aportion of the filter assembly 20 or filter element 70. The end portion31 may include a lip or top surface 32 at the end of the outlet port 30,a side wall 38, and a side surface 34 of the side wall 38. The side wall38 substantially surrounds an aperture 39 of the outlet port 30 (asshown, for example, in FIGS. 9-10) and may extend from a portion of thefilter assembly 20. The side surface 34 is the outermost surface of theside wall 38.

According to one embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the outlet port 30 mayinclude a first lip 36 and optionally a second lip 38 that projectoutwardly beyond at least a portion of the side wall 38 and may helpattach the o-ring seal member 82 to the outlet port 30. The first lip 36and the second lip 38 may extend around a portion of or the entire outercircumference of the outlet port 30. The o-ring seal member 82 may bepositioned between the first lip 36 and the second lip 38 such that theo-ring seal member 82 is secured along the length of the outlet port 30.The o-ring seal member 82 may also be attached to the outlet port 30 ina similar manner that the face seal members 40 may be attached to theunauthorized outlet ports 130, as described further herein.

The O-ring Seal Member

As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet port 30 may include a seal member, suchas an o-ring seal member 82. The o-ring seal member 82 may be attachableto the end portion 31 of the outlet port 30 and thus may be configuredto extend around the outer circumference or perimeter of the sidesurface 34 of the side wall 38 of the end portion 31 of the outlet port30.

The o-ring seal member 82 may be sealable to a portion of the aperture169 of the drain port 160 when the outlet port 30 and the drain port 160are aligned. For example, the o-ring seal member 82 may seal to theinner surface 168 of the aperture 169 of the drain port 160 (as shown,for example, in FIG. 3). Accordingly, the o-ring seal member 82 of theoutlet port 30 does not abut the top portion 162 or any surfacemodifications 170 that are on the top portion 162 of the drain port 160,thereby creating the complete sealed connection 50 between the outletport 30 and the drain port 160.

Accordingly, the outer diameter of the o-ring seal member 82 (whenattached to the outlet port 30) may be smaller than or approximatelyequal to the inner diameter of the drain port 160 (e.g., the diameter ofthe aperture 169) such that the outlet port 30 (with the o-ring sealmember 82) can fit within and compress against the inner surface 168 ofthe aperture 169 of the drain port 160 in order to bridge or seal a gapbetween the side surface 34 of the outlet port 30 and the inner surface168 of the aperture 169 of the drain port 160, thus creating the fullysealed connection 50. Thus, the top portion 162 or the surfacemodifications 170 of the drain port 160 may not abut or be directlyattached or connected to the o-ring seal member 82 of the outlet port 30when the outlet port 30 and the drain port 160 are sealingly connectedto allow a completely sealed connection 50.

Accordingly, when the outlet port 30 and the drain port 160 are alignedand sealingly connected with each other, the o-ring seal member 82 ofthe outlet port 30 abuts and engages with the inner surface 168 of theaperture 169 of the drain port 160, which creates the sealed connection50 between the outlet port 30 and the drain port 160 and preventsrelative axial movement between the outlet port 30 and the drain port160. Since the o-ring seal member 82 does not seal to the top portion162 of the drain port 160 (which includes the surface modification(s)170) and instead seals within the aperture 169 of the drain port 160,the outlet port 30 (with the o-ring seal member 82) may securely seal tothe drain port 160, thereby preventing any leakage (either as fluidmoves therebetween or as both the outlet port 30 and the drain port 160are plugged), regardless of any surface modification 170.

The o-ring seal member 82 ensures that the outlet port 30 seals to thedrain port 160, regardless of the configuration of the drain port 160.Accordingly, the drain port 160 may incorporate a variety of differentsurface modifications 170 (as described further herein) into the topportion 162 of the drain port 160.

The Unauthorized Outlet Port and the Face Seal Member

The unauthorized outlet ports 130 cannot create a sealed connection withthe drain port 160 due to the surface modifications 170 on the drainport. The unauthorized outlet ports 130 do not seal to the portion ofthe drain port 160 that does not have the surface modifications 170. Forexample, the unauthorized outlet ports 130 do not seal to the innersurface 168 of the aperture 169 of the drain port 160 and do not havethe o-ring seal member 82. Instead, according to one configuration of afilter assembly as shown in FIGS. 9-11, the unauthorized outlet port 130may include a seal member that is a face seal member 40. The surfacemodifications 170 on the drain port 160 are configured to abut the faceseal member 40 on the unauthorized outlet port 130, thereby preventing aseal connection between the drain port 160 and the unauthorized outletport 130. The face seal member 40 may be positioned on or attached to anend portion 31 of the unauthorized outlet port 130 and/or at least aportion of the side surface 34 of the side wall 36 of the unauthorizedoutlet port 130.

According to one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 9-11, the unauthorizedoutlet port 130 may include a lip 36 that projects outwardly beyond atleast a portion of the side wall 38 and may help attach the face sealmember 40 to the unauthorized outlet port 130. The lip 36 may extendaround a portion of or the entire outer circumference of theunauthorized outlet port 130. According to the embodiment shown in FIGS.9 and 10, the lip 36 provides an attachment area that protrudes into theface seal member 40 for the face seal member 40 to securely attach tothe unauthorized outlet port 130, as described further herein. Accordingto another embodiment as shown in FIG. 11, the face seal member 40 issandwiched between the lip 36 and a base of the unauthorized outlet port130 for the face seal member 40 to securely attach to the unauthorizedoutlet port 130. The face seal members 40 may also be attached to theunauthorized outlet ports 130 in a similar manner that the o-ring sealmember 82 may be attached to the outlet port 30, as described furtherherein.

According to one embodiment as shown in FIG. 9, the face seal member 40may extend along at least a portion of the top surface 32 of the endportion 31 of the unauthorized outlet port 130. According to anotherembodiment as shown in FIGS. 10-11, the unauthorized outlet port 130 mayextend completely through the aperture 42 of the face seal member 40.

According to one embodiment, the face seal member 40 may have a diameterthat is greater than the inner diameter of the end of the drain port 160(e.g., the diameter of the aperture 169). Accordingly, the face sealmember 40 of the unauthorized outlet port 130 may not completely fit orextend within the aperture 169 of the drain port 160 and instead abutsthe top portion 162 of the drain port 160. Since the top portion 162includes surface modifications 170, the surface modifications 170disrupt or prevent any seal between the face seal member 40 of theunauthorized outlet port 130 and the top portion 162 of the drain port160 by creating at least one gap between the face seal member 40 and thetop portion 162, which results in leakage and prevents a sealedconnection 50. Accordingly, the surface modifications 170 on the drainport 160 may prevent the use of an unauthorized filter element 70 withan unauthorized outlet port 130 (that may include a face seal member 40)with a housing 60 with the drain port 160.

The face seal member 40 may be shaped like a ball or sphere with anaperture and may be substantially cylindrical (having a circularcross-section, as shown in FIG. 9). Alternatively, the face seal member40 may be a hemisphere (having a hemisphere cross-section, as shown inFIGS. 10-11), or the cross section of the face seal member 40 may havemore of an oval cross-section. Still other cross-sections are alsopossible. The face seal member 40 may include an aperture 42 extendingat least partially through the face seal member 40. The face seal member40 may be positioned over the end portion 31 of the unauthorized outletport 130 such that the unauthorized outlet port 130 extends at leastpartially through or into the aperture 42. Accordingly, as shown in FIG.9, the aperture 39 of the unauthorized outlet port 130 and the aperture42 of the face seal member 40 are longitudinally aligned and share acommon center axis.

According to one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 10-11, the aperture 42 mayextend through the face seal member 40 to allow fluid to drain or movebetween the unauthorized outlet port 130 (and thus through the face sealmember 40). Optionally, the unauthorized outlet port 130 may extendcompletely through the aperture 42 such that the aperture 39 of theunauthorized outlet port 130 and the aperture 42 of the face seal member40 are concentric. According to another embodiment, the aperture 42 maynot extend all the way through the face seal member 40 (and accordingly,the unauthorized outlet port 130 does not extend completely through theaperture 42) in order to plug or close off both the unauthorized outletport 130 and prevent fluid flow through the unauthorized outlet port130.

According to one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 9-10, the face seal member40 may include a crevice 46 along an inner surface of the aperture 42.Accordingly, the lip 36 of the unauthorized outlet port 130 may extendand lock into the crevice 46 when the face seal member 40 is attached tothe unauthorized outlet port 130, thereby securely attaching the faceseal member 40 to the unauthorized outlet port 130.

The face seal member 40 may be constructed out of a variety of differentmaterials, including flexible plastics or rubber.

It is understood that the various aspects, components, andconfigurations of the outlet port 30 and the unauthorized outlet port130 may be used interchangeably, with the exception that the outlet port30 seals to portions of the drain port 160 without the surfacemodifications 170 and that the unauthorized outlet port 130 does notseal to the portions of the drain port 160 without the surfacemodifications 170.

As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “substantially” andsimilar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with thecommon and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to whichthe subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understoodby those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these termsare intended to allow a description of certain features describedwithout restricting the scope of these features to the precise numericalranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted asindicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications oralterations of the subject matter described and are considered to bewithin the scope of the disclosure.

The terms “coupled,” “connected,” “attached,” and the like as usedherein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to oneanother. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable(e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with thetwo members or the two members and any additional intermediate membersbeing integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another orwith the two members or the two members and any additional intermediatemembers being attached to one another.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,”“above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation ofvarious elements in the figures. It should be noted that the orientationof various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments,and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the presentdisclosure.

It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of thevarious exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a fewembodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, thoseskilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciatethat many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes,dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements,values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novelteachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Forexample, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed ofmultiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed orotherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements orpositions may be altered or varied. Additionally, it should also beunderstood that features disclosed in different embodiments may becombined into yet further embodiments not necessarily depicted ordescribed herein. The order or sequence of any process or method stepsmay be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments.Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also bemade in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the variousexemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

1. A filter housing assembly, comprising: a filter housing; and a drainport operatively connected to the filter housing, the drain portincluding a top portion and at least one surface modification along thetop portion, the drain port defining an aperture therein, the drain portbeing alignable with an outlet port, the outlet port including a sealmember attachable to an end portion of the outlet port, a portion of theaperture of the drain port being sealable to the seal member of theoutlet port when the drain port and the outlet port are aligned suchthat the at least one surface modification of the drain port does notabut the seal member of the outlet port, thereby creating a sealedconnection between the drain port and the outlet port, wherein theaperture defines an inner surface of the drain port, and wherein theinner surface of the aperture of the drain port is sealable to the sealmember of the outlet port such that the seal member seals within theaperture.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein theseal member is an o-ring seal member that extends around an outercircumference of the end portion of the outlet port.
 4. The filterassembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one surface modificationprevents an unauthorized outlet port from sealing to the top portion ofthe drain port, wherein the unauthorized outlet port does not seal withportions of the drain port without the at least one surfacemodification.
 5. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the at leastone surface modification includes at least one of a notch, protrusion,groove, cut, and surface roughness.
 6. The filter assembly of claim 1,wherein one of the drain port and the outlet port extends into the otherof the drain port and the outlet port when the drain port and the outletport are sealingly connected to each other.
 7. The filter assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the outlet port extends into the aperture of the drainport when the drain port and the outlet port are sealingly connected toeach other.
 8. A filter assembly, comprising: a first port including atop portion and at least one surface modification along the top portion,the first port defining an aperture therein; and a second port includinga seal member and an end portion, the seal member being attachable to anend portion of the second port, the first port and the second port beingalignable with each other, a portion of the aperture of the first portbeing sealable to the seal member of the second port when the first portand the second port are aligned such that the at least one surfacemodification of the first port does not abut the seal member of thesecond port, thereby creating a sealed connection between the first portand the second port, wherein the aperture defines an inner surface ofthe first port, and wherein the inner surface of the aperture of thefirst port is sealable to the seal member of the second port such thatthe seal member seals within the aperture.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The filterassembly of claim 8, wherein the seal member of the second port does notseal with the top portion of the first port.
 11. The filter assembly ofclaim 8, wherein the at least one surface modification prevents anunauthorized second port from sealing to the top portion of the firstport, wherein the unauthorized second port does not seal with portionsof the first port without the at least one surface modification.
 12. Thefilter assembly of claim 11, wherein the unauthorized second portincludes a face seal member that abuts the top portion of the first portwhen the first port and the unauthorized second port are aligned witheach other.
 13. The filter assembly of claim 12, wherein, when theunauthorized second port with the face seal member is aligned with thefirst port, the at least one surface modification creates at least onegap between the top portion of the first port and the face seal memberon the unauthorized second port.
 14. The filter assembly of claim 11,wherein the unauthorized second port does not include the seal member.15. The filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the outer diameter of thesecond port is smaller than the inner diameter of the aperture of thefirst port such that the second port fits at least partially within theaperture of the first port.
 16. The filter assembly of claim 8, whereinthe second port includes an aperture for fluid flow and, when the firstport and the second port are sealed together, fluid can flow between thefirst port and the second port without leakage.
 17. The filter assemblyof claim 8, wherein the sealed connection between the first port and thesecond port prevents relative axial movement between the first port andthe second port.
 18. The filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the secondport is plug such that, when the first port and the second port aresealed together, fluid cannot flow between the first port and the secondport and the fluid does not leak from between the first port and thesecond port.
 19. The filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the first portis a drain port and the second port is an outlet port.
 20. A filterassembly comprising: a housing, the housing including a drain portincluding a top portion and at least one surface modification along thetop portion, the drain port defining an aperture therein; and a filterelement positionable within the housing and including a filter media andan outlet port, the outlet port including a seal member and an endportion, the seal member being attachable to the end portion of theoutlet port, the drain port and the outlet port being alignable witheach other, wherein a portion of the aperture of the drain port issealable to the seal member of the outlet port when the drain port andthe outlet port are aligned such that the at least one surfacemodification of the drain port does not abut the seal member of theoutlet port, thereby creating a sealed connection between the drain portand the outlet port, wherein the aperture defines an inner surface ofthe drain port, and wherein the inner surface of the aperture of thedrain port is sealable to the seal member of the outlet port such thatthe seal member seals within the aperture.
 21. (canceled)
 22. The filterassembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one surface modificationprevents an unauthorized outlet port from sealing to the top portion ofthe drain port, wherein the unauthorized outlet port does not seal withportions of the drain port without the at least one surfacemodification.